Fidelity
by ImogenCymbeline
Summary: All I know is that it wasn’t easy falling in love with Embry Call, and much to the dismay of my friends it was not by any means love at first sight either...side jake imprint story p.s-i won't hurt him i promise
1. In which it was only the beginning

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it..

Prologue of sorts:

All I know is that it wasn't easy falling in love with Embry Call, and much to the dismay of my friends it was not by any means love at first sight either. Sure Embry was a sweet boy and all, but I was determined to find me a man. Someone whose arms I would feel protected in, someone who was remarkably mature and chivalrous, and of course, my man needed to be outstandingly good at kissing. I mean I wanted to experience the kind of kiss that makes your toes curl and your breath shorten. I wanted romance to ooze out of this fantasy relationship. But you see, while I was looking for all of these things, I was too distracted to notice that I had had him all along.

A/N: I will be continuing this story for sure but not for at least a week seeing as I have some massive studying to do for my midterms so please review and if there are at least 10 by the time I get back, I will happily continue.

Chapter 1-In which it was only the beginning

Holly's POV:

"Holly, cut it out!" Embry begged between gasps of laughter as I plunged my fingers into his sides. His wildly long legs flailed around as he desperately tried to get out of my reach, but I was too quick for him, I already had him helplessly pinned to the ground.

"Say it!" I squealed back at him triumphantly grinning at my sheer moment of brilliance. For it was a common known fact that everyone knew Embry was hopelessly ticklish.

"All right, all right, okay!…you win! You _win_!" By now he was laughing hysterically and he sounded very much like a little girl, when in fact he was actually going on 16. He was 2 weeks older than me, and he never let me forget it. We had grown up together so he never missed a chance to say stupid remarks like "respect your elders" and others along the same lines. Though in my opinion he was the one that acted more like a baby.

"Embry you're such a pushover." I scoffed as I playfully shoved his limp body as he tried to catch his breath and recover from his little episode. He just ran a hand through the wispy, black hair that hung in his eyes and rolled his eyes at me condescendingly.

"You know one of these days someone is really just going to come out of nowhere and take full advantage of you and you're going to let them." I stated matter-of-factly as I plopped down on the floor of his living room in a spread eagle position.

"Oh like you haven't done that yourself or anything." He mumbled then smirked down at me. I just closed my eyes and started to hum a tuneless song to myself, choosing not to respond. He could win this one if he wanted to. I could feel his fingers winding in my blonde ringlets as he spun some of the loose curls around his index finger. I didn't open my eyes until he made one of his random exclamations. In long moments of silence he tended to come up with completely random but sometimes mildly interesting things to say.

"You have freckles." He said in astonishment. I opened my eyes to see him lifting his eyebrows in curiosity and tilting his head to the side. I only got freckles in the summer and to be completely honest I absolutely detested them. They always made me look younger than I really was and on top of that I had always been an extremely tiny person so the freckles on my nose and shoulders didn't make it any better. I was already scowling at this fact when his previously occupied index finger went out to touch a dot on my nose. Which I scrunched up and I grimaced in return.

"Since when do you have permission to touch my face?"

"Didn't know I had to ask." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled nonchalantly.

"You're impeccably rude you know that?" I said lifting myself up on my elbows to better glare at him.

"I'm sorry, I forgot girls don't like being reminded that they have freckles." He mocked me lifting his hands in the air as if to surrender. He really could be a real smart-mouth sometimes that Embry. I still remember the day I made him cry cause I dropped that crazy bear of his in the ocean when we were 6. He kept telling me I was doing it on purpose, that I was trying to drown Howie. I remember saying "Gosh Embry it's just a stupid bear. Plus no one ever misses anything that's ever lost in the ocean." So of course in his little fit of tears he spat something at me that only a true smart-mouth would say in return to that. "Maybe you should go for a swim sometime."

I believed I tackled him after that, even though we both knew he didn't mean it. He would never say something like that and mean it. Embry was just far too nice to say that. He was the kind of guy everyone's mom always begged them to bring home. He was sweet, charming, funny and good-natured. Only problem was he was way too shy for his own good.

"Hey remember Waif?" I asked smirking a bit at the odd memory of Embry's first girl infatuation. Her name wasn't really Waif but I always called her that cause she was always so tall and skinny. And bland, like a wafer cookie. Also her last name was Leif, so it was just pure fun to call her Waif Leif.

"Yeah…Ana." He stared dejectedly at his hands for a moment as the blush crept up his neck to tinge his cheeks a faint pink. He'd always had tanner skin so you couldn't really tell much if he was blushing, but he actually did a lot of it. I could tell cause I was always around him seeing as he was my best friend and all.

The reason he was blushing is a pretty funny story. It started out when he was starting to like this girl a lot and since she was in our homeroom class I persuaded him to talk to her. He was scared, naturally. So scared in fact, that he was shaking and stuttering and all that. If you ask him of course, he's never actually admit to it but trust me, I was there. Anyways he was so embarrassed by the time he got up to her, he was so worked up that all he got out was a small "Hi" before he threw up on her. She screamed this shrill screech and started paling drastically with this increasingly disgusted look on her face. Making a scene, but who wouldn't with Embry's pancake breakfast all over their hair and cashmere sweater. All the while I'm the only one in the room that isn't staring in shock, but cackling like mad, holding my stomach and everything. And I'm not even exaggerating, after that he turned so red he ran out of the room and didn't come back to school for at least four days. He insisted that it was the flu, but I knew the real reason. She still won't look at him without turning pale. He can't look at her either, he told me every time he does he gets nauseous.

"You need to learn how to pick up girls" I said grinning widely and shaking my head back and forth slowly. I doubt he ever could, not unless he tried very hard anyway. He's not the smoothest guy in the world, but I could bet you anything he'd sweep you right off your feet if he really wanted too. I think Embry's got many hidden talents. And I have this theory about him…

"Teach me." He begged exasperatedly and chuckled some at the sound of his desperation, pulling me out of my reverie.

"Sure thing. First off you have to get rid of some of that ridiculous hair," and as I said this his hands lurched up to clutch at his hair and he stared up at me with an absolutely horrified expression. I just put my hand down to pull him up too since I was already standing. I was thinking about a walk along First Beach, it was always so calming in the summertime when the sun was going down.

"It's covers up your pretty eyes too much don't you think?"

"I have pretty eyes?" He questioned looking happily surprised as he attested himself in the mirror hanging by the front door.

"Sure you do." I laughed and simply patted him on the shoulder. Embry was never one of those kind of guys who received compliments like crazy, nor would he ever let the few he got go to his head. He was an extremely humble person.

"Let's go to the beach, and I'll explain some more of the basics."

"Alright let's go, wait…you weren't really serious about my hair were you?"

I just laughed again and took hold of his hand pulling him out the door. He always took things way too seriously. So sometimes he'd never pick up on the fact that I'm just poking fun at him. Sure it would come to him later and he'd get me back for it eventually I suppose. But he usually trusted that whatever I said was more or less the truth.

Embry and I were best friends, we were complete opposites but after growing up together how could we not be best friends. I mean, I'm not too much of a sap, but I really liked the idea that we'd always be there for each other you know? Like no matter what happened my good old Embry would back me up. I thought we'd be friends forever. I think we even made a pact when we were kids that we would.

It was the night I crawled through his window on one of the many rainy summer nights that year and jabbed him with my finger till he woke up while whispering his name over and over again. Embry was a really heavy sleeper usually so he just hugged his pillow tighter and stayed in his fetal position. When I eventually got him up I remember saying that we should promise to stay friends. I had been worried cause he was going on a cruise with his family the next morning and at 10 I honestly thought he'd ditch me and find a new friend while he was there. So I made him prick his palm with the small sewing needle I stole from my mom and I did the same. It was the sort of pact that I had seen on TV. It made sense to me too. If we held hands and mixed our blood together it would strengthen the promise.

At least, that's what I thought before what happened anyway. Before he left for good a little over a year ago. He never called me back, and I was never allowed to see him. Not that I even wanted to anymore, that was a long time ago. Nothing that good could have lasted so long anyway, something was bound to come and mess it up. So I didn't even bother questioning why he said what he did when he told me he didn't want to see me ever again. I just took it… nodding and walking away.

Embry's POV:

I hadn't seen her in what felt like over a decade, when in all actuality it was just about 2 years ago. I lay on my bed holding my head and staring at the ceiling as everything quickly came back to me like a gigantic wave rushing in during high tide covering up every other thought in my head. All I could see was her expression when I told her. It was like a terrible horror movie playing pictures in my head over and over again, never letting me forget. She just stared at me emotionlessly as my fists balled up in anger at her passiveness.

"Holly I just can't ok?! I can't be friends with you anymore." I all but shouted at her, I was glaring down with my eyes averted to the ground so I wouldn't have to watch the play of emotions on her face as she replied.

"I don't understand." She stated softly and smoothly. This reaction was not what I expected so my eyes shot up to meet hers. She didn't look sad or rejected. Not even lonely, it was as if it was all just a void. Her green eyes were sparkling and her delicate blonde waves flew like a halo around her head. How could she just stare at me? After everything, after knowing me for every day of her life how could she just take this? I started to feel the heat crawl up my back and my hands start to shake. I closed my hands into fists quickly so that she wouldn't see how much this was all hurting me. And so that there would be no chance that I could hurt her, no matter how much I wanted her to cry for me, to beg me to stay with her.

"I don't want to see you ever again." I said boldly and as calmly as I could. I wanted to be brave and strong but everything inside of me was falling apart and I felt like I couldn't breath anymore. It was as if the smallest hope I had had that she would miss me, even if just a little, vanished before my eyes as she just nodded acceptingly and turned around, walking away. There was nothing left, she truly was gone. And the fact was, that I would miss her. She had been everything I had ever known for so long that I couldn't even imagine my life without her. And now as the distance between us grew and my ears rang with the desolate silence of being alone, I knew that I would never see her again.

I had had countless nightmares about this for a while but lately they had been fading away. I had been slowly forgetting about her, that is until I saw her today. For the most part I would never cross paths with Holly at all because she lived on the entirely opposite end of the reservation and none of us really went out that far into the outskirts. Even when we were all patrolling we didn't go anywhere remotely close to where her house was. It was pretty much as if she could have never existed and the world could have kept on turning. But today it was as if she was why the world was turning. Seeing her for the first time in over a year jolted me so much I think my body actually swayed. It was as if the breath was knocked out of me from shock, and I consider myself beyond lucky that I had been alone just then. If any of the guys had seen this they would have never let me live it down.

She was swinging a very small girl with ringlets like her own by her wrists in the shallow part of the ocean. The little girl squealed and giggled as her knees grazed the low tide ripples while Holly grinned a mile a minute. Her hair was much longer than it had been but it still flew around, framing her face like a halo and her eyes still sparkled the same when she smiled. She was wearing a red poke-a-dot bikini with a see through, long sleeved dress shirt over it, that was way too big for her. I couldn't see the freckles on her nose from where I was standing but I knew they were there and I could picture them clearly. She was outstandingly beautiful, and from the looks of it, very comfortable with who she was, and where her life was going. But above all of that, she was happy. The radiant glow of her smile made that much obvious. She had never needed me, it was I that needed her. I wondered if she even ever thought of me on occasion. If she remembered, if she wanted to. So many questions were dripping from my tongue they felt like acid, eating away at me, desperately begging to be asked. Only I couldn't make myself step forward. I was as if a part of me was telling me not to ruin anything for her. That by going up to her wouldn't change anything, I still couldn't be her friend anymore, not after what I had become. So instead of battling it out some more with my two warring point's of view. I turned around and sprinted in the direction of my house. I couldn't believe the whirlwind of emotions that she had caused to explode within me. I had missed her a lot more than I thought was ever possible that I didn't even know I how I had made it this far without her.

I lifted myself up into a sitting position on my bed and dug my fingernails into my comforter and squeezed my eyes shut, hard. I didn't want to hurt her again, and if I were forced to leave her again than I don't know how I could take that. But I had to see her again. It was as if ever cell in my body was being drawn to her, like magnets. I missed her so much it was starting to make my stomach ache. So selfishly I shoved myself off the bed and broke out into a run back to the beach so that I wouldn't have much time to change my mind when I got there. First beach was where I actually met her for the first time, so it was slightly ironic going back there to meet her all over again.

The sun was really hot that day and I remember staring at my toes angrily trying to pick the sand off of them. I hated the rough feeling of sticky, dry sand and it was really starting to annoy me. Not to mention the fact that my mom was also doing a fair job of putting countless layers of sunscreen all over me, which only spread the sand to not just my feet, but all over my body. I mostly hid under the umbrella that day. At 4 I was beginning the stage where you want to defy everything your parents tell you to do and try to be your own individual person even though you and your parents know that's an impossible feat.

I scowled as my mother's high school friend pulled out the camcorder that was permanently soldered to her right hand and zoomed in on my face.

"Hiya honey, why don't you go play with my Holly over there while I talk to your mommy, would that be alright?"

No, of course it's not, I remember thinking but I got up anyway and walked over to the tiny little girl with blonde curls and lots of multi-colored scrunchies and bows in them. She was sitting in the wet sand with her clean feet wiggling waiting for the tide to come up and surround her before retreating back again. She didn't even look at me when I sat down next to her, she just said, "The water's cold today."

I nodded and watched her toes wiggle some more. They were clean while mine were covered in sunscreen coated sand. When I looked back at her she was smiling and wrinkling her nose at me. I remember waiting for a few minutes for her to explain herself only she still didn't say anything.

"What?" I finally sighed as the water lapped up at our feet.

"You smell like vanilla."

"Sun lotion." I corrected her, while I cocked my head to the side and stared at her with a doubting expression. I didn't know much then but I did know that sun tan lotion was not vanilla scented.

"Yeah and vanilla." She said back matter-of-factly. I just shook my head and looked back at the water happily as it cleaned all the excess sand off my feet. I didn't realize it then, but later I remembered that I had eaten a vanilla ice-cream cone about two hours before I went to the beach. I had washed the melted ice-cream off my hands so I didn't even think about it. But she still smelt it and I still to this day find that kind of remarkable for just a little girl to be able to distinguish.

But she had always been a very remarkable person. I knew that the second I saw her today, that I wouldn't be able to stop myself even if I wanted to. Sam didn't know, nobody knew about Holly. Maybe Jake and possibly Quil. But knowing Quil he had probably forgotten her just like I almost had. And if Jacob remembered her, he knew enough not to mention her to me. So no one knew that I was within a few feet of my prior best friend. The only other one besides my mother and my brothers that had ever looked after me and cared for me.

But when I got back to where she was before I didn't see her. I could feel my shoulders drop and my chest heave dramatically. I had run so fast to catch up with time and fix things with her that I hadn't even realized that it was almost dark. I kicked a stone angrily and trudged closer to the water before plopping down in the sand. I don't know how long I planned to stay out there, but I wasn't ready just yet to go back to the guys. I had to be in a better mind frame or they would know something was up. I picked up a random stick and began drawing lines in the sand with it with my back curved into a perfect C. I'm not really sure what I had been expecting. Even if she had been here what could I have said to make things better? It was a rather stupid idea to come down here hoping like I did. I always knew that here would be no going back on what I said as I watched her retreating figure walk away from me for good. I lied…but I lied with reason. And it was only to protect her. I chastised myself for even coming her to wait for her. I had promised her that I didn't want to see her again and by coming back it would only hurt her more. But as soon as this thought came to mind, the defiance started to take form in my head I got up from the sand feeling like I could go home again.

"Embry Call."

My breath caught in my throat and my back went rigid. I spun on the balls of my feet quickly only to find the sparkling green eyes of my former best friend staring back at me. She had a sort of crooked smile and her hands her clasped together lightly hanging loosely in front of her slim figure.

"Long time no see." I choked out weakly.

She just shrugged one of her shoulders in reply. And her smile widened.

A/N: Please please review, if I get more than 10 by next week I'll continue my story, constuctive critisism would be nice as would any suggestions you would like to make. Thank you thank you.


	2. In which friends are of the essence

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it..

A/N: This one goes out to my lovely reviewers, not as long I know, but it was one of those chapters that you need to lead up to another one. More informational than anything else I would think. Still reviews are highly important.

Chapter 2-In which friends are of the essence

Holly's POV:

"Long time no see," he choked out nervously in a small voice. I just shrugged one of my shoulders and smiled in reply. To be completely honest I shouldn't have been smiling at all. After all he had left me, told me he never wanted to see me again and I had finally convinced myself that I was going to be alright with that. But staring at him now, looking so small and yet so big and tall, it was a rather endearing sight, I must say.

He started to open his mouth to say something only he closed it right away and averted his eyes to his feet that were now turned inward to each other. I wanted to laugh. Not only to just ease up the obvious and awkward tension but because it wasn't every day that you saw a guy this tall and strong looking all shy and subdued, but that was Embry for you.

"How are you?" He finally decided on asking me, he looked up at my eyes again and tried a fleeting smile. He wanted to know if he was forgiven I could tell. But I didn't know if I was ready to forgive him or not. At least not just then. I hadn't seen him in about 2 years and here he was, good old Embry Call staring at me with these big, pleading and forlorn looking puppy dogs eyes.

"Good…you?"

"Alright.."

I just smiled and stepped forward to take his huge hand in mine and shake it.

"Nice to see you again."

And it was. Not only had I missed him more than I would ever let him know, but standing there next to him made me feel whole again. Like the piece of me that had gone missing was back and I could finally start being a whole person again. Of course if he ever left again then I would have to start the whole process of making myself happy all over again. But as he grinned at me I knew that it was worth the risk. He had stumbled back into my life carelessly and clumsily out of nowhere. He was back again, and that's all that mattered. Our friendship was worth the risk.

Embry's POV:

She just stood there nodding and smiling. I grinned back at her uneasily and we broke our hands apart. She let go. I didn't want to, a shock from her hand like an electric current shot up and down my spine causing me to momentarily shiver, in the good way. I could tell she was about to leave only I didn't want her to. It was absolutely ridiculous how I had no idea where I was going with this. Why I had chosen to come see her in the first place. Sure I missed her, but what was I going to do about that now?

"Well…I guess I'll see you around Emb-"

"Wait!" I called out stupidly even though she was just a few inches away from me. She snorted and raised an eyebrow questioningly, the grin still plastered to her lips.

"I, I mean, would _you_, want to go do something tomorrow morning…or later?" I didn't know what on Earth I was doing, the words that were coming out of my mouth didn't even feel like they belonged to me. I had no intention of doing this before and I had no idea why I didn't just make a break for it just then but I didn't.

"Sure, tomorrow morning would be good." She said slowly still staring at me skeptically. I just nodded and grinned while backing up and shoving my hands in my pockets. Of course, what with the smooth guy I am, I ended up tripping over my own feet and landing in the sopping wet sand, only to have the low tide water come rushing up to soak my shorts even more. I flinched at the cold and felt my cheeks flush to a bright crimson color. Great Embry, great first impression, I thought, that's just fantastic.

She didn't laugh though, she just grinned wider and waved condescendingly.

"Same place, same time only A.M. got it? Byyye Embry." She called as she kicked off her sandals and started running off towards the direction of her house. I just waved once and lifted myself out of the water and patted my thighs twice. So I'd see her in less than 24 hours, 7 in the morning too. Yeah, she remembered me. She remembered me enough to know that I was definitely not a morning person at all.

Holly's POV:

"Oh my god what the hell am I suppose to do!" I wailed throwing my hands in he air and pacing the narrow floor space in my best friend Leslie Minnelli's bedroom. She just chuckled and shook her head knowingly at me.

"I knew it girl! I knew you weren't over that boy, I told you, it's impossibly easy to read you."

Leslie was training to be a psychologist, so naturally, she knew exactly what you were trying to say all the time, or in my case, exactly what I was trying not to say saying.

"There's nothing to get over. We were friends and that was it."

"It's just after so long you're afraid it might be awkward right?" She asked crawling over to the side of her bed and lying down on her stomach. She was longer and taller than I was so her feet were still touching the wall but she was still really skinny.

"No that's not even it so much, I mean I don't even _know_."

"So why'd you say you'd see him tomorrow if the whole idea bugs you so much?"

"Ugh! So you get this really weird guy who's gawky and sweet with this wild hair that hangs in his eyes and then all of a sudden the same guy comes walking up to you only he's morphed into this incredible half-naked god with this crazy endearing smile as he looks at you like you're heaven on Earth. Then tell me what you would do ok?" I said this all so fast the words ran together and I had to take a big breath at the end. I had not expected him to come ever again. I had persuaded myself that it was alright and here he was, jumping back into my life again. I should be mad, I mean the nerve of that boy making me question my own sanity!

Leslie burst into laughter at my little speech, she was laughing so hard she was shaking and her dark red ponytail was coming loose. She wiped away tears from her eyes and tried to stop laughing at me because of the excruciating death glare I was giving her.

"Maybe it's a good thing you're going to see him then, I'm mean if all it takes is an old friend to finally get you going."

"I told you, men are useless." I snapped throwing a pillow a her face.

"You and your crazy standards, personally I think a relationship would be good for you, but that's just me talking."

"Yeah that is just you." I agreed and sat down next to her on her fluffy mauve bed.

We sat in silence for a little while, regaining our thoughts, both lost in our reveries. Why had he come back to me after so long? What prompted something like this, and why didn't I just walk away when I saw him sitting there by the beach?

"Does he know that you know what he is?" She asked quietly, suddenly pulling me out of my reverie.

"No…I don't think so." I replied in wonder. If he hadn't known that that was why I accepted his request to never see me again, he must honestly think that I was ok with that. That I was some sort of heartless cretin that wouldn't miss him at all. In fact, I don't know why I never told him, why I didn't say something right then and there, telling him that I already knew that he was a werewolf and could possibly be dangerous. But I didn't say anything.

I saw him about 3 days before he came up to me and told me we couldn't be friends anymore. I was just lying in the hammock in front of my old white house. The paint was peeling and the doors and floors all creaked but I lived in it since as long as I can remember and it was cozy. Anyways I was just lying there pondering why he wouldn't answer the phone anymore. Even when I left faulty messages, making like it was an emergency and I had something really important to tell him. And then a pack of wolves came trotting through the trees, mere feet from where I was. My house was located on the real outskirts of the reservation and was pretty deep back into the woods so it wasn't unusual to find animals wondering by, but I had never seen wolves like these before. They had too of big ears and paws and looked to be the size of a regular grizzly bear. I sunk myself deeper into the hammock and counted, one, two, three, four…The fourth one made me catch my breath. His eyes belonged to Embry.

There was no doubt in my mind that that was who this was. Especially after the longing look it gave to my house, it was terribly sadden and incredibly desperate looking. As if it might actually start bawling on the spot. Of course, these were human emotions, wolves didn't feel the same way we did. I knew something was up the second he called and said he didn't feel good. And then later I overheard my mother talking to his mother about scary complications and him needing help. And then there was something about Sam and his little pack. After a while I began to piece things together. It was Leslie who had told me about werewolves and who's words had convinced me that this is what had happened to my best friend as I stared at the desolate wolf who was trailing behind the others. He was also avoiding his other friends as well. So I was not alone. That is until his other friends starting disappearing too.

I gasped loudly and smiled.

"Hello…you still in there?" Leslie called, she'd been trying to wake me from my little day dream sequence for the past few minutes now. But I knew now what I had to do to get my best friend back. No more being on stand by mode. I wouldn't just let things go, I wasn't suppose to. Him meeting me tonight had been like a sign of some sorts.

"I'm gonna tell him tomorrow."

"You do that." She said smirking at me and stuffing a handful of stale extra-butter popcorn in her mouth, "but just so we're on the same page, what is it that you're telling this boy?"

I laughed and knew that she hadn't the faintest idea what my epiphany was.

"I figured I'm suppose to fix things by telling him I understand why he had to leave, only I can take care of myself and I don't care if he's dangerous."

"Plus all the really hot guys have a danger edge to them, where would the world be if there weren't any like your own little Embry-board."

"If you say so." I agreed and smiled at the nickname she'd given him.

Embry's POV:

"Embry….man, why are you spazzing out, just cool it for it second." Quil demanded from the couch to my left in Emily's tiny living room. His eyebrows knit together in confusion as he watched me stare at my hands in disbelief. I still couldn't believe that I had just done that. I mean, I barely know her anymore, it was as if I had been possessed by some evil demon that was out to get me or something.

"Yeah, I've never seen you so worked up before, you need to quit twitching." Jake added, looking a bit concerned for my sanity as he popped another grape in his mouth. I hadn't even realized my leg was bouncing up and down. I hadn't been able to think about anything much since I got back her.

"I saw Holly again." I sighed. I figured they'd guess sooner or later anyway, if not they'd find out by getting in my head.

Jake's mouth formed an O and Quil's eyebrows shot up and he just reached for another grape. I knew he'd be the one to forget., but at least he was pretty good at pretending to remember.

"It's not even just that, I kind of, sort of promised to take her somewhere tomorrow."

Quil burst into laughter at my comment and nearly choked on the many grapes he had just practically swallowed whole. Jacob chuckled some at this but he covered his mouth like he was just coughing. At least he had the decency to realize that this was no laughing matter.

I was beyond nervous and full of nothing but grief. She's going to want an explanation as to why I left her before, why I hurt her. If I even did. And I'm going to end up either miserably lying or miserably telling the truth. And I guarantee you I wouldn't be able to do either. And not just cause of Sam's injunction either, but because I simply wouldn't be able to bring myself to lie to her again. And on top of all that I know that I'm probably going to make a complete and utter fool of myself in just a matter of hours. I sighed exasperatedly snapping out of my reverie.

"What am I suppose to do!?" I cried dramatically staring up at the ceiling as if the answer might magically come out of hiding and appear written in fine calligraphy.

"I don't even know where I'm taking her." I moaned pressing the bottom of the palms of my hands into my eyes again.

Jacob patted me on the shoulder before leaving with a small, "Eh good luck with that, hope everything turns out alright." I didn't expect much out of him though. Ever since he came back from wherever he was after he had that episode of his after getting invited to Bella's wedding, he tended to shy away from anything that remotely involved romance in anyway. Even if she was just my friend. And Quil was just a lost case. You'd think meeting Claire would soften him up a bit, but he still the same guy. He laughed some more and agreed, patting my shoulder halfheartedly.

"Yep buddy, good luck with that. From the sounds of it, you'll need a whole lot of it. Give her my regards."

I just waved and smirked back at him. Yeah a lot of help they are. I doubt I would be able to sleep but I still got up too and went to look for Emily. If she was awake, I always liked to say goodbye. It was the courteous thing to do even if she loved having us here and it was no problem for her.

"You should take her to see the sunrise, off that one cliff you're always hanging out at, the one that looks down at all the trees." Emily said quietly. I turned around to see her holding the door open, but it looked more as if the door was holding her up. She looked beyond exhausted. I smiled at her for being the only one to help me.

"Thanks Emily, that sounds like a good idea…oh and thank you again for letting us stay for a while."

"It's my pleasure having you guys here you know that, and I hope all goes well with you and Holly…goodnight Embry." She smiled and waved goodbye as she slowly shut the door behind me.

A/N: I know it was a bit short but it's leading up to a great third chapter, I suspect you all will love it. Now just out of curiosity, could you review and tell me how I'm doing? Also maybe you'd like to give me your predictions as to what will happen next? Maybe? Thank you thank you


	3. In which there is a lot of catching up

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it…

A/N: This will probably be my last update until next weekend seeing as I have been ignoring my studies and need to get to work with midterms. However in love with my characters I am, haha. I hope that this chapter pleases you all as much as it does me. Thank you.

Chapter 3-In which there is a lot of catching up

Embry's POV:

I had been tossing and turning all night, it was unbelievable how anxious I felt. Like everything that I ever had was on the line here and by making the so called date tomorrow morning, I was only biding my time until I could mess everything up again. I just knew I would have to analyze everything that would come out of my mouth and everything that I could possibly do to make sure I don't say anything stupid and impulsive like I did last night. I hadn't even an inkling of what time it was now, but I figured it was still around 3 or 4 in the morning since during those hours I'd been the most restless. Also I didn't feel too much like getting out of my warm and cozy bed so soon so I just flipped on my other side and grumbled a bit as I heard the squeaky front door open and close. I'm not getting up, I thought, not even if the house is on fire, I still have at least another few hours. Yeah, you'd think that it would come to me then that no one in their right mind would be walking through my front door at 3 or 4 in the morning, but like I said, I'm not a morning person at all.

"Embry dude wake up!" Yelled the last person on Earth I wanted to be at my house at this hour.

"No seriously! That chick you were talking about has been waiting at that one cliff for you for half an hour." Quil insisted as he slammed my bedroom door open none too kindly.

This got me up right away, I nearly hit my head on the ceiling I leapt from the bed so fast. My feet got entangled in the sheets somehow though so I ended up just falling to the ground with a loud thud. I desperately strained my neck to see what time my alarm clock said, 7:40. That was over half an hour.

"What!?" I choked out as I scrambled to my feet and sprinted to my bathroom. I nearly ran into the door.

"Yeah, Emily told her you'd be late and to go ahead over there a little while ago." Quil called over as he plopped down on my sheet-less bed and began picking up stuff off my night table. That's the notorious Quil actions, he was always messing with your stuff like it didn't matter. Picture frame here, wrist watch there, and then maybe if he felt like it he'd take a swig of whatever drink you left on your nightstand, even if it was stale Pepsi or something.

I hastily raked a comb through my hair, it had gotten a bit longer than the other guys because I hadn't taken the time to cut it recently. Quil picked up a pair of blue jean shorts off the floor and tossed them to me.

"Clean enough?" He asked carelessly as he chuckled at a small disconfigured bobble head doll on the shelf above my head. It had been my little cousin's only he accidentally dropped it in the campfire a few months ago and I had promised to fix it. Or replace it really, only I wasn't going to tell him that.

"They're going to have to be, hey toss me a shirt too." I said as I struggled to hop into the shorts as quickly as I could.

"No way, chicks love it when we're top-less c'mon get with it." He scoffed.

I just scowled and grabbed at the closest shirt I could find. It was an old, slightly wrinkled navy sweatshirt. It was thin though so I doubt I'd get too hot in it in the morning. Washington was a pretty cold place anyway. Not that I ever got cold anymore, it was all just for show. Also unlike what Quil mentioned, I think that it's probably best to stay modest and not flaunt everything seeing as this was just Holly we were talking about. And she doesn't really like the whole idea of dating so it wouldn't matter if she were attracted to me or not. This was all just about rekindling our friendship.

"Ah whatever, don't have too much fun!" Quil called out to me as I sprinted out the door. I could eat later. Now it was just about meeting Holly. I mean I'd already screwed up and I hadn't even seen her yet today. I was on roll, seriously, only someone like me could be so stupid as to not set an alarm or something. She must think that I don't want to see her.

Holly's POV:

He slept in, I thought to myself, sort of laughing at his tactics. Just like I thought he would. You see I planned for this for more than just one reason. It was like a little experiment of mine to see if he had changed much. Besides for the fact that he turned into this giant dog every time he got upset anyway. I wanted to see if the many little things I knew about him were drastically different. He had no idea that I would be testing for this, but I wasn't much planning for meeting him all over again. I was determined to find out that nothing had changed and that we could just pick things up where they left off. And of course I was counting on him sleeping in so I'd have some time to gather my thoughts before he got here. One things for sure though, it's absolutely ridiculous how he managed to remember to bring me here of all places. Emily Young had told me that he wanted me to come here with him and I believe I broke out into n impeccably large grin right then and there, the second the words left her mouth.

You see, we had been to this little cliff countless times before. The first time had been when we had gotten lost in the woods when we were 12. He looked scared to death cause it had been getting increasingly darker every minute. I just kept walking and occasionally skipping onward, sort of making a game out of it.

"Home is just past this rock!" I cried out to him as I giggled at the expression on his face. He looked like he might cry, the poor thing thought we'd never get home. But he believed me every time and would always rush forward only to get the same desperate and worried look on his face.

"Holly we need to get home."

"Oh like I don't know that already."

"I'm serious!" His eyes darted around to both sides as he said this and he bumped into me sending me into a freefall onto the ground as he toppled over me. I cried out in shock only to receive a million apologies.

"I'm sorry Holly, so sorry, I can't see it's so dark, I'm sorry."

"My god, what do you weigh 500?" I grunted as I tried to push him off of me.

"No.." He mumbled.

I watched as he put his hand in his mouth and started chewing his nails. We really were lost this time so I decided we'd just have to stay out here tonight till it got light enough in the morning for us to head back. Our parents wouldn't worry too much, they were probably already asleep anyway.

"Let's just stay here alright?" I said as soothingly as I could and I took the hand that wasn't in his mouth and squeezed it lightly. I lowered myself down into a sitting position and yanked a bit on his arm for him to do the same. He didn't say anything else but when I wrapped my arms around his waist and put my head on his shoulder I heard him sigh and he closed his eyes.

The next morning we had woken up with the most beautiful sight in the world. We were on our cliff and the sun was coming up, you could see vast green trees, mountains and even a bit of the ocean. We had dubbed it our cliff ever since.

I then heard a soft rustling from behind me and I hugged my knees tighter to my chest. That was Embry, pulling me out of my reverie yet again. Here we go… I thought smiling to myself as he sank to his knees to sit down next to me.

Embry's POV:

"Hey," I said quietly not wanting to disturb her, she looked rather deep in thought.

She just smiled back at me. She was wearing her old faded blue jeans and a black cardigan sweater and she was hugging her knees. I wondered if she was cold and I immediately felt regret that I had made her wait out here for me for so long.

"I'm sorry Holly, I just-"

"Slept in I know." She finished for me. I opened my mouth to explain again but she just lightly shoved my shoulder and nodded.

"Come on Embry I know you don't I? I would have been shocked if you had come on time." She laughed at her own joke and I couldn't help but laugh some myself. She was right, she did still know me, fact was that these 2 years between us probably didn't do too much. But the question was did I still know her.

"So what's up with the scenery anyway? Are you getting all hot-shot on me or was this just your idea of a faithful romantic date?" She cooed the end and stared at me skeptically, leave it to Holly to ruin the moment. But it made me happy that she did say something like that, it was like having the old Holly back. Like we never stopped being friends.

"Oh you know, I thought it made a pretty good memoriam or something to that effect." I replied off-handedly. I wasn't about to bring up that it had been Emily's idea, but Emily was really just being helpful, she didn't exactly know the significance, so I suppose it was my idea in a way too.

"Yes my darling Embry-o you did a fine job indeed." She put on a British accent and grinned radiantly at me. She then wrapped her arms around my waist and looked up at me.

"So…how's life?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her attempt at small talk.

"Not as good as it was before." I said smiling and patting her back. There was a moment of silence where we just looked out at the view. I was afraid I had said something wrong and was at that time inwardly smacking myself for being so stupid. Strike number 2 Embry, I told myself, one more and she'll kick you to the curb for sure.

"I've missed it." She said and she nodded appraisingly.

I was almost shocked but then again I wasn't. I just squeezed her tighter to me and nodded. I didn't need to say anything at all. She knew what I was feeling, she always knew.

Holly's POV:

He lightly pressed me tighter to him in response, I grinned wildly at this. Embry was more of an actions sort of guy. So I knew he missed me too.

What I didn't know was why he decided to come meet me again all of a sudden. It just all seemed so random. Was he less dangerous now? Or was it by chance that he decided to be my friend again?

"Who was the little girl you were with yesterday?" He asked cocking his head to the side curiously and the spot between his brows creased in confusion.

"Oh Meggie, she's my best friend's little sister. I baby sit her sometimes. She really likes the beach." I added laughing while I remembered her tiny squeals of enjoyment every time the water hit her legs.

"Oh I see," he said and he took hold of one of my curls and began twisting it around his finger before adding, "you seem really happy."

"I am happy." I hummed. "Did you know that I was accepted into Argosy U." I added excitedly as I stopped hugging him and turned around to face him. He was frowning, he didn't look confused anymore but his hand sort of inched towards mine. As if he was pondering whether or not he should take hold of me and keep me hostage or something. He obviously waned nothing to do with the fact that I was leaving.

"No silly it's in Seattle, which means I can stay here." I grinned widely with hope and enthusiasm. I don't know why, but it was like a motherly instinct to protect him. Even if he was so much larger than I was.

"Long commute." He said softly.

"Psh you know I don't care, driving is my favorite pastime." I waved a hand dismissively and he smiled a bit at this. Probably remembering the last time I had made him get in a car with me.

"Slow down Holly, are you trying to get us killed!" He yelled at me as he gripped the dashboard of my fixed up silver 1980's Camaro.

"I can't be late!" I cried back frantically.

"Late for what? We're not even going anywhere."

"Yes we are, I told you it's a surprise."

"You told me it was a road trip." He scoffed, crossing his arms and staring out the window.

"Yeah and you better start enjoying yourself!" I laughed while I leaned over to turn on the radio. Before I carelessly started singing along with Johnny Cash's Walk the Line.

He just grinned widely at me and made out like he was going to throw his empty can of lemon iced tea. I always made fun of him for liking iced tea. While I'd always drink a root beer he'd go for Nestea, such a girlie thing to do, I'd tell him. I had always been the crazy one and he'd always been the sensible one. But I always thought that it would be ridiculous to go through life unnoticed.

Embry's POV:

There were so many questions hovering around in my head that I very nearly couldn't take the momentary silence. Holly tended to get lost in thought a lot and I was normally very patient with her, only now I could stand it. I want to just fire out every single question that had been probing me all night. I wanted to know every little detail about her life that I missed while I was gone. And I knew that I was going to have to distract her if I was going to keep her from bringing up why I told her I never wanted to see her again.

"What are you going to do there?" I asked, keeping her on the idea of collage no matter how much I might dislike the idea of her leaving when I just got her back.

"Oh probably an English and Literature major, my best friend Leslie's going there to study psychology so I figured I'd go with her."

I was surprised as the small pang of jealousy erupted inside of me. I used to be the best friend she would talk to her other friends about, how quickly was I replaced. I remember Leslie Minnelli, Jacob used to have this thing for her a long time ago before she moved to Oregon. She must have come back to La Push while I had been without contact with Holly.

Holly continued on talking about what had been going on in her life. She told me stories of how she had been dealing with stuff at our high school without me and how she nearly punched her chemistry teacher, Mr. Avery for failing half her class. She also told me how she had finally learned how to toast a pop tart without setting the toaster on fire and how she thinks Ana actually misses me. Or in her words, "Waif sure has been clean for a while, maybe we should hold a reunion for her, just to let her know we haven't forgotten her or anything." But as she was telling me everything she was smiling like crazy, it was if nothing had changed between us. She look positively radiant the way she spoke animatedly about how happy she was. I couldn't believe how I had spent so long without her company. It was like just being in her presence made me feel happy too. How could I have thought that I might hurt her, she could never upset me in any way. She was Holly.

Holly's POV:

I shivered once involuntarily as a big gust of wind came by, causing my hair to fly in my face. I laughed as a curl almost flew into Embry's mouth. He just smiled at me.

"You cold?" He asked staring down at me with those big, concerned brown eyes again.

"Nah you're really hot." I appraised him and hugged him tighter. His eyebrows shot up and he smirked at me. So I hastily added, "you know, like physically."

I slapped my forehead with my hand as he pressed his lips together so that he wouldn't laugh.

"Warm…as in heat." I corrected myself slowly, smiling at him. I don't get embarrassed very easily, but when I was with this uber fantastic new Embry I don't know what I got into me. I seriously doubt you could be smooth either though, I mean that would be a truly terrific feat if you could.

"Is that one of those wolf things? The heat I mean." I continued before I even realized what I was saying. Embry had tensed up beside me so I cautiously looked up to see how he had taken what I said. He looked shocked beyond belief. His eyes were wide and he looked like he were about to choke. That was definitely not the right way to go about bringing this up, how could I have let that slip? He just stared at me silently with his mouth gaping open…oops.

A/N: Please review, and I would like to say thank you so much for those that have reviewed my story already and I know that it is still considered to be in it's early stages, but I'm in love with this story so don't lose faith in me. However I may not get to updating till next weekend seeing as I'm going to have midterms coming up. I apologize for the cliffhanger. Please review! Thank you!


	4. In which secrets are revealed

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

A/N: This chapter is more serious than the others have been seeing as that was just how I had set it up. There are a few warm and fuzzy moments though and I hope you will like that. I know some readers hate the seemingly unrealistic things but I promise you, not all the chapters are as gooey as this one. Holly isn't really the fluffy type.

Chapter 4-In which secrets are revealed

Embry's POV:

There was a ringing in my brain that wouldn't shut up. What? What had she just said? After freaking myself out for hours I come here to find out she already knew! And at what cost? Only my sanity! How long had she known anyway? If she knew before why didn't she say anything? Why was she here now if she was ok before with never wanting to see me again? These thoughts were jumping around my head so fast it blocked out any other previous thought that might have been there. I could barely remember my own name, only I couldn't say anything at all, it was like someone had just ripped my tongue out and then shoved it back down my throat. Seriously what?! How could this even be possible?

I watched as she slowly uncoiled her arms from my waist cautiously and bit her lower lip. She looked slightly scared. I wondered if I may be losing it, so I stole a quick glance at my hands to make sure I wasn't shaking too bad. What surprised me was that I wasn't shaking at all, I was completely frozen. I took a deep breath, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth and stared at her from underneath my eyelashes. Maybe I had heard her wrong.

"What did you just say?" I asked, the silence was still ringing in my ears, so much it almost hurt.

She sighed, almost with relief, probably glad that I hadn't exploded out of my skin. That is if she truly did know about me.

"I wasn't going to say it like that." She said softly as she pinned a lock of hair behind her ear. I just kept waiting, she still hadn't confirmed what she had just revealed to me.

"You're a werewolf…aren't you?" She asked as she crawled cautiously back closer to me again.

I didn't want to say yes, I wanted to lie to her, to make everything better and happy again. How could she be so accepting of this fate of mine when I was not?

"How long?" I asked her instead, I outstretched my hand to take her small and delicate one in my own only I stopped halfway not knowing if I should.

She smiled encouragingly up at me and took my hand giving it a light squeeze. Probably still glad that I wasn't ripping her to shreds right about now.

"I've known for a while, I saw you walking by my house that one day…before you left."

Before I left, she was making it sound as if I had just gone on vacation or something. She added the last part hesitantly, probably not wanting to go back on the lighter mood she had been trying to establish. But I wouldn't let the anger bubble up inside of me, not with her tiny hand clutched in mine, not now. Even if it did hurt, the fact that she didn't tell me that she didn't want me to go.

"Why didn't you say something Holly?" I said harsher than I had meant to. But she rubbed her thumb in slow soothing circles on my hand and it calmed me down some.

"Sorry," I said putting my other hand up to squeeze the bridge of my nose in concentration.

"No it's alright, you should be mad at me. I still don't even know why I didn't say anything, it's bothered me every single day since then, you don't even know." She then took her hand away from mine quickly and readjusted herself to sit on her knees in front of me. I looked at the dirt beneath us instead knowing that if I dared look into her sparkling green eyes I may say whatever came to mind.

What she did next surprised the hell out of me. Her hands took firm hold of either side of my face and forced me to stare at her and only her. A fierceness shone in her eyes like nothing I'd ever seen before and she brought my face so close to her own we're were just mere inches apart. For a second I had no idea what she had in mind. My mind went blank.

"I know I've made a lot of mistakes Embry, but I don't ever make them twice."

I didn't blink, I just waited motionlessly. Wanting to believe her with everything inside of me, wanting what she said to be the truth so badly.

Holly's POV:

It was as if his giant brown eyes were trying to lift the truth up from my own. He was just waiting there, hoping. His large hand slowly reached up to take mine and he held it to his chest. I felt his heart beating wildly and I remembered what this meant. He knew it too.

It had been a couple summer's ago when it happened. The summer right before he changed actually and I had gotten real sick. It was pneumonia only it was in a pretty bad stage seeing as I had had the flu for a while before that too. My immune system wasn't working as it should, it had weakened a lot from the flu. I was taken to the hospital I don't even remember the trip or what day it was. All I remember happening was I was just hanging out with Embry in my living room as he waited on my every whim. He wrapped me up in a heating blanket and ran around fetching me all the Saltine crackers I wished for and countless hefty bottles of Ginger Ale. I just giggled weakly at his eager to please attitude but I was actually starting to feel dizzy. I figured it was from all of the attention. So I just stood up and said, "maybe you should go home, I need my rest anyw-" But my voice had drained to a whisper and the ground came zooming up to my face. The last thing I recall was Embry's frantic call of "Holly!" before I hit the ground and completely blacked out.

I opened my eyes a few days later only to find myself strapped to a hospital bed. I was rather surprised that I didn't have too many tubing's and wires hooked up in me, but the second I thought that I saw a collection of them by my bedside. I must have seriously recovered since I last had all those stuck in me. I grinned feebly, noticing the weakness of my jaw muscles, not to mention every other muscle as well. Embry had fallen asleep in the chair to my left next to my bed. His leg was carelessly draped across the arm of the chair.

"He hasn't slept for about a week, I was beginning to get worried." A nurse whispered softly as she placed her hands on her hips and shook her head at him. I just laughed weakly and shrugged my shoulders. I cringed momentarily at how heavy my shoulders felt. She just nodded and walked off hurriedly, probably off to fetch me some more pain medication.

That was when I saw it. It was this tiny little snow globe on my nightstand amongst the many vases of flowers. I picked it up slowly and held it in my hands. There was a small tag on it that read, "Hope you like her. Love, Embry". It was sparkling all over and it had this tiny little white teddy bear with huge green eyes inside of it. It was wearing ice skates and was hugging a big old yellow sun to its chest. I shook it up and down once gently and it began its song. It was the tune to you are my sunshine. So I sang with it as best I could.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

Embry's hand curled around mine and I scooted over in my bed so he could climb in too. I put my head on his shoulder and breathed in as deeply as I could. He smelled like vanilla and peppermint. I wondered if he had been eating the hospital gift shop candy, and if that had been all he was eating for a while.

He then placed the palm of my hand to his chest and said, "hear that? You scared me to death Holly."

"I'm glad you stayed." I whispered as I began drifting off to sleep.

"I'll always be here for you." He whispered back.

That's what he meant when he put my hand to his chest just then. It meant that he was telling me he'd always be here for me. I knew I probably looked like I didn't believe him cause he added, "I mean it." But who could blame me. He had said this before and then he left me. I wasn't prepared for him to just come leaping back into my life again and expect me to trust him right off the back. Sure I wanted too, but I was afraid. And coming from me that was a pretty scandalous thing. I was never afraid of anything.

Embry's POV:

She looked hesitant and I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't believe me either, not after how I hurt her before. Not after that. I didn't know how to make her believe me so I opened up my stupid mouth again and said whatever I was thinking, desperate to make her believe me.

"Holly, I've missed you ok? More than I can even explain, I just didn't want to hurt you, you of all people should understand that! I mean you knew, you knew what I was….what I am Holly! What I am isn't even feasible or possible in any way but it just happened. I didn't want it, I was so happy with you, you made me feel real and better no matter what happened. You were and still are a part of me!" I said slightly shaking her, begging her to understand. She was looking at me with those fierce eyes again.

"You were my best friend Holly, I didn't want to hurt you."

There was a long moment of silence in which both of us were still.

"Well you did."

I let go of her arms as another shock was sent through my entire body. I felt as if I had been slapped. I had hurt her after all. And I knew that. I had put her through probably one of the greatest losses of her life, when I didn't even need to. Sure she had accepted it and turned away from me. But she was only being noble. It was me. I had hurt her, and without even meaning to.

I didn't weigh what I did next carefully at all, but I was very glad I did it. I lurched forward and hugged her to me, as tightly as I could without cutting off her air supply. Hugging me was probably the last thing she ever wanted to do to me but I only gripped tighter.

"I'm sorry."

She hummed softly and wrapped her arms around my neck in response, planting her chin on my shoulder lightly and squeezing back in return.

"I know."

We were both glad we had each other back. And for her to hug me back was just irrational seeing as she was never one for sentimental moments. She tended to shy away from things like that, I never had seen her cry before. Not that she was now, it was just unfathomable at all that she was hugging me.

And of course the second that thought came to mind she leaned backward and smiled at me coyly.

"So how about some lunch then I'm starving." She laughed some at my expression as I stared at her questioningly. Talk about a major mood change, how crazy was that. Holly was pretty crazy though so I'm not really sure why it surprised me.

"Well I guess brunch would be a better word, but you know, now that that's all over and done with." She continued as she pushed herself up into a standing position and took hold of my hand. I knew it wouldn't last long, it was just a matter of time. You see, Holly always got kind of uncomfortable in situations like these, like I said before, she liked a liked a lighter mood. So I. just went along with it, not to mention the aching pain in my empty stomach begging me to eat something soon seeing as I had skipped breakfast for this girl.

"Sure. Let's go to Port Angeles though."

"Agreed, I'm feeling a lot like a cherry coke what about you?" She brushed off some of the dirt on her knees and smiled up at me.

"Whatever you say Holly…just as long as I'm driving." I cracked a grin at her and she smirked back at me, before dangling her keys in front of my face and sprinting off in the direction of the beach. I just laughed and chased her all the way back to her car.

A/N: I know it wasn't a really light and happy chapter but it was needed I think, also I couldn't bare to leave you all with that terrible cliff hanger. So please review, thank you thank you.

_Next chapter preview_:

"Could we get a table in the back?" Holly asked as she wiggled her eyebrows and put on this brooding expression. Her hand slid down my arm and she smiled up at me with this crazy affectionate look in her eyes.

As soon as the waitress stepped away, smiling at us endearingly, Holly snorted and tried to choke back the laughter that was enveloping her. Probably because of the shocked look that I knew that I was giving her.

"Holly what are you doing?"

"Getting us a good table, now shut up we're newlyweds."


	5. In which there is an emotional overload

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it…

A/N: Thank you so much for waiting my faithful reviewers! I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 5-In which there is an emotional overload

Embry's POV:

"So Embry, tell me more about being the big bad wolf…what's it like?" She said bouncing in her seat to stare at me questioningly. I couldn't answer her right away since I was still marveling at the fact that she was taking this so coolly. Like none of it truly mattered to her, when it mattered a hell of a lot to me if I morphed into a giant dog every second I got too angry.

She took advantage of my speechlessness and carried on to tell me what she knew, she talked as if she were apologizing, or guiltily coming up with an excuse in front of a disapproving parent.

"Well you see…Leslie -I told you about her- she kind of told me that that was what you were. She said she knew about werewolves cause her dad was one and she said that was why he ran away from her mother cause he was always afraid he'd hurt her. But you see he never did, he was just scaring himself into paranoia with ideas of what could happen. Leslie told me that werewolves turn into big, aggressive wolves when they get angry and they tend to lose their heads so there's no telling what they could do to you." She spoke the last part in a hushed tone as if she wasn't suppose to be saying it or she was trying not to think about it herself. I wanted to just jump out of the car right then to be honest. I hadn't felt such self-loathing in a while and I knew that I was what was scaring her now. I didn't dare look over at her now, I just kept my eyes plastered to the road and my hands gripped to the steering wheel.

Holly's POV:

I watched his grip on the steering wheel tighten and I felt my voice drain away. What I felt then was irrational and I felt myself asking myself why on Earth do I still feel the need to protect this boy when I knew very well he could take care of himself just fine? I realized that I had been making him hate himself even more as his knuckles whitened he was gripping the wheel so hard. He looked like he might cry even. I briefly wondered what would happen if the steering wheel were to shatter beneath his grasp before my left hand flew out towards his right one and clasped over it on it's own accord.

I felt his hand immediately relax under mine. His eyes closed momentarily and he let out a slow breath before muttering "sorry". The sincerity of his meek voice tugged on my heartstrings but I hurried to make any unnatural thoughts disappear before I could analyze them. I scooted over to lean my head on his shoulder. We ended up taking his truck because I figured if I was going to demand to be taken out to eat then he would get the choice of car and driver. Besides, he was far better of a driver than I was, I tended to be a bit on the reckless side.

The ride to Port Angeles was slow but in a good way. We sat in silence for the most part, at first I got to thinking that it meant we didn't have anything to talk about but then I realized that maybe it meant we didn't have to talk about anything, we could just stay silent as we were. It'd be a lie to say my mind didn't wonder though. Typically I would fall asleep in moments like these but at the time all I could think about was how whole I felt. I mean it was remarkable how he could just come back into my life like this and start off right where we ended. Well almost…You see a part of me, and it's still hard to admit to this day, was falling for him in the not so literal sense. What I mean by that is that I selfishly knew that I couldn't ever stand for him to go away again, but I'd never want him like he wanted me. I could see it in his eyes as he looked at me today, it was the same wide-eyed look he used to give Ana but it was as intense as it was now. I pretended I was asleep whilst all theses wild thoughts crossed my mind, begging, simply begging to be wrong. I knew that by remaining passive and controlled would allow me to better decipher what he meant by his antics. I could be falsely reading into things, my mind dared to hope.

Later:

"Holly you got it bad…."

"Shh! Leslie quit laughing this isn't funny, besides people are already watching my like I'm a lunatic." I whispered harshly into the phone as I stood outside me and Embry's old favorite restaurant. The wind blew in my face causing my hair to whip around my head and a shiver to roll up and down my spine. I squeezed my one arm around my stomach to hug my coat closer to my body. It was just way too cold in Washington, I'd never get used to it even if I lived here for the rest of my life.

"Holly trust me, it's all a delusion, you only think he's interested cause you are." She stated matter-of-factly as she stuffed some sort of food into her mouth and talked around it. I heard her lick her fingers on the other end and I rolled my eyes. That girl was always eating, it simply wasn't fair that she could stay as thin as a rail.

"Focus please!" I shouted into the phone, earning a few glances from the crowd of evening shoppers walking down the sidewalks.

"Your Embry's waiting for you and you're probably about to catch a cold so go inside for a while and don't worry about it ok, we'll call an emergency meeting when you come home, got it?"

"Yeah sure Leslie.." I sighed before hanging up the phone and turning to face the door.

I had been so carefree up until now.

Earlier:

Embry's POV:

"Just follow my lead." She whispered into my ear, she had to stretch up on her tiptoes to reach and her hand slid down my arm. A tiny spark ignited and shot itself up my spine momentarily but all I did was nod. She clasped her hand around mine and swung her other arm around my waist as we walked inside.

The waitress watched us with the biggest grin I'd ever seen. She was an older lady compared to the other waitresses, probably in her 40's. I still had no idea what Holly had in mind.

"Could we get a table in the back?" Holly asked as she wiggled her eyebrows and put on this brooding expression. Her hand slid up and down my arm and she smiled up at me with this crazy affectionate look in her eyes.

As soon as the waitress stepped away, smiling at us endearingly, Holly snorted and tried to choke back the laughter that was enveloping her. Probably because of the shocked look that I knew that I was giving her.

"Holly what are you doing?"

"Getting us a good table, now shut up we're newlyweds."

"This way dears.." The older waitress called as she walked off with two menus in her hands.

Holly gripped my hand and pulled me along and giggled with satisfaction. She was acting like a little school girl but I suppose this was part of her act.

"Oh it's just perfect, thank you!" Holly shouted as her hands shot up to her mouth and she looked thankfully and sincerely at our waitress.

"I hoped you'd like it, the most private table in the house."

"Yes dearest Embry, don't you love it?"

I'm sure I was the only one who could see the mischievous glint in her reckless eyes so I just smiled and tried not to laugh. This all really was a little over the top. But Holly was just like that, this was her idea of fun.

"Your server will be here in a few minutes." The waitress said as she hurried off and waved at us before grinning adoringly again. She sure was a sap for newlyweds.

Holly burst into laughter the second the lady left, holding her stomach and everything, but she held her right hand up for a high five as her entire tiny body shook. When I smacked my pal to hers her fingers intertwined with mine and we both plopped down in our private, back corner booth.

The pleather red seats squeaked as she thudded onto hers.

"I can't believe we pulled that off." She gasped in between breaths and explosions of laughter.

"I can't believe you actually did that, maybe we should have kissed."

"Oh yeah, we could have played the totally lustful couple instead of sweet newlyweds, imagine her expression!" Her hysterical fit of laughter continued and I began laughing too, that lady would not have been so pleased to sit us if we had been doing anything like that.

Holly's POV

I wiped a tear from my eye and squeezed Embry's hand which was still in mine and took a deep breath trying to calm myself. I had been laughing so hard my stomach was hurting and I felt like I couldn't breath.

"I've missed you Holly." Embry said with this huge smile on his face.

"Yeah? Me too."

His smile radiated off the walls it seemed, it was so shockingly white next to his smooth russet colored skin. I vaguely wondered what it might feel like to lean across the table and run my fingers up from his temple down to his chin in one swift and light manor just to see if his skin was as soft as it looked. My gaze floated to his ears and I almost snorted, still kind of large and sticking out in a way, only his hair had grown over them a little so they weren't as noticeable as they were when we were kids. When we were kids…this thought probed my mind immensely and I soon began having the beginnings of a panic attack of sorts. It wasn't a drastic condition or anything, but you see, whenever I felt like the situation was getting out of control or I was losing a grip on my thoughts then I could start breathing really hard and getting dizzy. It doesn't happen often, but I can always tell when I'm about to lose it so I've adapted to regaining control quite well. No one would ever guess that I did this. I was fearless Holly to everyone that knew me. I'd only ever blacked out once, and that was when I was really sick with pneumonia that one time.

I had been wondering if maybe fate had brought me and Embry together for a reason, but then I got to thinking why? And why wasn't I doing anything about it? Why hadn't we talked about much and could that mean that I could lose him again? Was I meant to lose him? All these questions had me nearly over the edge, so I simply closed my eyes and took a deep breath before letting go of his hand and recoiling back into the booth,

"Holly?" He asked. I didn't even have to open my eyes to know that he had that same concentrated and concerned look on his sad and forlorn face, so I just continued out on my plan. I would not lose Embry Call again.

"So tell me more about yourself Embry." I said offhandedly as I opened my eyes and smiled nonchalantly at him. I think I even waved a hand in the air dismissively, as if that gesture alone would lessen the drama of my near anxiety attack.

Embry's POV:

Holly liked to pretend that she was never afraid of anything, but she was and she would never admit it. I'm not sure if she ever picked up on the fact that I knew that she was scared all those times, but I suppose she was more content to accept the fact that I depended on her to be fearless and so she would be, for me. And that was the truth, I did need her, I still felt like I did sometimes, even when she wasn't with me. She had always been there for me too, so I let her continue pretending, she was happier that way, it was easier for her. However, I never could fully reign in my curiosity as to what had frightened her so much.

We talked for a little while more, I told her about the guys and Emily. I even told her about the fight we had had with all the newborn vampires. She gasped at this under her breath, my acute hearing could pick up on that, but of course she continued on all bugged-eyed asking her wild questions as if she were in the battle as well. She wasn't immature about it either, she was genuinely interested, it surprised me at first. But then the more I got to thinking about it, the more I knew that I should have known all along that she would accept me no matter what I was. She was my best friend and she loved me for who I was no what I was.

I filled her in with everything that had happened in my life since she had left it, and she was animated the entire time, she hedged me on every time I would chuckle to myself about something that was off-hand or would hesitate on something that I wasn't sure I could tell. She found most of the wolf things fascinating too, which I wasn't so surprised at. She wasn't gullible, she was just always attracted to the things that didn't make much sense to normal people so it was incredibly easy to tell her everything she had missed and about us werewolves.

There was one topic that was not so easy though. Imprinting. Seeing as I never had and really had only experienced it through other's eyes it was hard to explain. More so simply because of what it was, even if I had experienced it I doubt I would have done a fair job of telling what it really was.

"Like love." She states knowingly nodding her head and leaning forward to sip her red Faygo soda pop from the bendy straw. I noticed that her lips were faintly turning red from the staining dyes in her drink, but then I cleared my mind, thinking it was probably not best to watch her lips as we talked about such a subject as imprinting.

"More than that, like extreme devotion and passion. Like magnets I suppose. Two matching energies pulled together by a force greater than anything else in the world." I didn't even notice the straw drop from her lips when her mouth shot open in shock, I just continued on. I expected this, not many were as accepting towards the idea of imprinting as they were to other things. It seemed completely giving up everything you have of oneself to another for eternity regardless of any sense scared most people. Truth it was a rather terrifying concept to grasp, even for me, someone who's seen its effects on people. It's not at all bad, just unfamiliar.

"Fate." She hummed and stared at me. I just nodded in a way as her eyes averted down towards her drink again and she smiled feebly at the bubbles. I wondered what she was thinking, what could possibly get her to stare at anything that way. She was obviously deep in thought, but about what? I didn't ask. Her phone rang.

Present:

Holly's POV

I don't know what it was, the way Embry described it made it seem like such a great commitment, and that once you got into it, there was no going back…It was like fate. Nothing could possibly stand in it's way even if it tried. Leslie was right, I had got to thinking too much about the whole idea of imprinting and how it might be what was happening to Embry. I just couldn't get it out of my head that maybe we were meant to be. No matter how many times I kept telling me I was being absurd and I was just delirious from lack of sleep or something. All I knew was that I was going to have to calm myself down before I went back in there and live another few hours till I could get back to my friends so they can tell me what the heck I'm supposed to do about all this. And really Embry sure was changing things for me and he didn't even know it yet, I mean since when did I rely on other people?

A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing everybody and I apologize for the significant wait, I've had a few troubles on my hands, but I finally found time to update hooray! So please read and review, much obliged.

Preview for next chapter:

Holly's POV:

Leslie gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.

"What?" She breathed, a smile growing wide behind her hands.

"Did you really?" Meghan asked in awe as she leaned forward on the bed forgetting the comforter she had previously been pulling around her. She had always been the quite one, but an outburst like mine would not go unnoticed. I put my hand in my mouth and chewed on my pinky nail in dismay as my mind shouted and called myself every bad name in the book. I tried to shove this whole thing to the back of my mind but it just came out!

All I could see was the way he was looking at me and all I could think about was how he had smelt so good as he leaned in and how I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body…


	6. In which heavenly is used to describe it

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it…

A/N: Thank you so much for waiting my faithful reviewers! I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 6-In which heavenly is used to describe it

Holly's POV:

My entire world started to spin out of control and my vision blurred. All I remember thinking was 'why?'. I couldn't understand how he could do something like this to me. I couldn't breath anymore but I felt like I was hyperventilating. My stomach churned with a rhythm that mimicked the unclenching and clenching of my fists. Desperation overwhelmed me and all I wanted to do was run, run far away. But my feet wouldn't let me.

When they broke apart she let out a small "oh" and then started to smile slowly in innocently at me. She barely seemed apologetic, but who would be. Not after knowing what I did to him. I wasn't watching her though. I couldn't bare to make my gaze leave his wonderfully round brown eyes. 'Why' was all I thought as his eyes widened in terror and his lower lip quivered a bit. And just as I turned swiftly and broke out into a run, a bitter and salty tear glided down to my lips. My chest heaved up and down as I ran helplessly. It was a moment in which you felt as if you were in a nightmare and you couldn't run away fast enough, that the ground was soaking you in. I touched my cheek numbly then, only to find a flowing river of tears beneath my careful touch.

Embry's POV:

She was crying. Holly Sage was crying and running away from me. I sight have dreaded and hoped I would never see all of my life. I didn't get it. Why did my heart collapse in my chest when I saw her turn away, why did I care so much? How could she belittle my declaration of love to her and then laugh as if it were nothing. Then the very next day, for her to stare at me in such immense abandonment as if I had betrayed her. When in all actuality I had only fallen to the arms of a girl who had always been there, a girl, however I have never truly cared about if I wanted to be honest with myself. She was just there, and I was vulnerable, so I let her kiss me. I had fallen for a girl who didn't want me back. But as these words entered my mind I could feel my insides twisting and writhing inside of me. How could I not have known? Holly had never been a very vocal or sentimental person when it came to things like this, nor had she ever been emotional. But how could I doubt her love for me anyway. I should've known.

"Are you leaving?" Ana asked in her delicate voice.

I look down at her desperately and see with more than aspiration that she seems ok with this. More so, she seems pleased!

"Go…Just go Embry."

I only nodded and ran off after her, with a speed that I have never known before. Jacob's father really wasn't lying when he said I looked to be becoming more built recently. Even as lanky as I was, I couldn't doubt the truth in this.

It wasn't difficult catching up to her.

"Holly I-"

"No you know what Embry!?" She moaned as I whipped her around to face me. But what got to me the most was the fact that she had hiccupped twice in her small declaration.

She glared at me with such innate fury that I couldn't say anything. I couldn't do anything, but wait.

"Save it for someone who cares." And with that she turned away and hurriedly kept walking.

I felt the ground move beneath my feet as I literally swayed when she snapped at me. I felt as if I had gotten the wind knocked out of me. I just couldn't believe what I got myself into, and I couldn't help but wonder if things were going to be different now. Had I truly ruined everything? Would things ever be the same again.

Holly's POV:

My body racked with silent sobs and I shoved my fist in my mouth. Why was this hurting so much? I lowered myself down on my front porch steps shakily and tried my hardest not to make a sound and pretend that this all wasn't real.

But then I felt a small twinge of hope when I heard the familiar sound of my porch steps creaking as someone else lowered themselves to my level. I knew immediately who it was when his warm hand circled around mine and squeezed it tightly. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter when Embry did this, in fear I might start bawling again. I mean what was wrong with me?! I never cried, that just didn't happen. I was always the strong one.

But all my thoughts vanished the second I looked up into his whirling brown eyes staring back at me so intensely. It was a captured moment in time where everything was still and nothing mattered expect for the fact that Embry Call was leaning in towards me. And then he delicately placed his fingers to my neck in a feather-light touch before kissing my cheek. The warmth from his lips sent tingles through my entire body and I knew it wouldn't be long before I was smiling. He pressed my head to his chest and kissed my forehead and then my fingertips and my wrists and cheeks. He gave me countless, warm and entrancing butterfly kisses that sent my mind into a fog. We didn't say a word to each other the entire time, but it didn't matter. What did, was that we were together…

Present:

"…That was a month before…he changed." I finished telling the story of how I had been secretly fighting with my conscious. Of how we had once been in love, or something like it. I'm not even sure why I decided to tell my friends about this. I just sort of snapped. And I also kind of wondered, that maybe since Leslie knew so much about werewolves, maybe she could tell me if it was possible for something like that to happen again.

Leslie gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.

"What?" She breathed, a smile growing wide behind her hands.

"Did you really?" Meghan asked in awe as she leaned forward on the bed forgetting the comforter she had previously been pulling around her. She had always been the quiet one, but an outburst like mine would not go unnoticed. I put my hand in my mouth and chewed on my pinky nail in dismay as my mind shouted and called myself every bad name in the book. I tried to shove this whole thing to the back of my mind but it just came out!

All I could see was the way he was looking at me and all I could think about was how he had smelt so good as he leaned in and how I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. To tell the truth no boy on Earth had ever made me feel the way Embry did. Like I was important or something. But that was all over right? I mean why complicate things? We were friends! And had been our entire lives! Practically before birth!

"Oh why do I feel the need to mess everything up!" I wailed throwing my hands in the air and placing them on my head.

Meghan edged forward with an empathetic look and hugged me while Leslie just snickered on the floor, her hands still covering her mouth.

"Ugh! What?" I demanded, shooting a death glare at her.

"Oh nothing at all." She said as she nonchalantly waved her hand in the air and jumped on my bed trying to compose her face, which was absolutely glowing with excitement.

"Just that…you want to know if Embry's imprinted on you correct?"

I didn't say anything. I wasn't even completely sure if this was what I wanted, but Leslie always seemed to guess things like this about me before I did, so I trusted her.

I watched as her radiant smile took over her entire face and she nodded, obviously pleased with whatever she was coming up with.

"Oh Leslie you do not!" Meghan cried as she shook her head impatiently. Her brows furrowed nervously and she bit her lip, waiting as well for Leslie's declaration that we all knew was coming which was…

"Yes…I have a plan."

A/N: Thank you all so very much for enduring my silence for so long, I am eternally sorry, truly I am and I hope you liked this chapter even though it was shorter and mostly a flashback. Please review me your thoughts and suggestions!

P.S! -winner of whoever guesses Leslie's plan gets a cameo:)


	7. In which there are uncontrollable plans

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it…

A/N: Thank you so much for waiting my faithful reviewers! I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 7-In which uncontrollable plans are in a disarray

Holly's POV:

"You want me to go after his best friend?" I asked her dubiously, lifting one eyebrow up in a questioning manner.

"Yeah!" She was so enthusiastic about whatever her little mind had concocted that even Meghan couldn't bring her back down to Earth.

"Okay, so you want to know if Embry's falling for you again right?"

"Imprinted on-" I started to correct her.

"Yeah yeah, that's what I meant."

"But what does dating his best friend have to do with imprinting?" Meghan asked reproachfully, still clutching that down pillow to her chest like if she didn't it'd run away from her. I rolled my eyes, and heaved a sigh. I did not like where any of this was going, nor the idea of flirting with someone I barely knew just to get to Embry. But once Leslie puts her mind to something, there's no stopping her. And no use trying either.

"Well I mean what are guys always fighting over?"

"Poker tournaments?" Meghan hedged doubtfully.

"No! Women!"

Her eyes lit up when she said this and she had to jump off the bed and run to me to make a point while she threw her hand around in windmill motions gesturing to me.

"So you see, if he has imprinted on Holly here, he'll have no choice but to express his jealousy, it will be his instinct you know? So we'll have definite proof of the fact that he loves our Holly!"

I just glared at her in response.

"It's pure power politics, you have to learn how to work 'em is all." She said in an anti-climactic air as she stepped away from me and towards the window.

She motioned for me to follow, and Meghan got up from the bed as well.

There, sitting all alone on the beach by the driftwood white log, was a tall figure. A boy I knew so well and yet still not at all. I suppose you could say I had grown up with him without ever really becoming his friend. He was always just there. And I knew, that even with the darkness of the night overshadowing my view, that a scowl was permanently fixed on his face, either that or a dreadful look of forlorn. He was always upset now a days, and everyone knew why, they just never said anything about it. Maybe he needed someone to say something though, anything.

Meghan sighed dramatically in my ear and Leslie lifted and eyebrow and whispered..

"Well how about him? ... _Jacob Black_."

Jacob's POV:

I just couldn't get her out of my head. The mere thought of her running away with the leech on her arm and his ring on her hand made me want to wretch. It had been months and I still couldn't get over how lonely I was. How disgusted I was that this all still bothered me. Of course, they were married now. She was probably…one of them. No…I'm sure she is. I just could not understand why I couldn't let this go. I knew, that maybe if I had imprinted on her, maybe she would have stayed. I never let anyone know where I went at night. I didn't even have to tell my dad I was leaving anymore. I came here to get away, to get away from pretending and yet force myself to remember her and forget her all at the same time.

I heard a soft rustle of the sand from behind me as someone approached, I didn't know who it was, nor did I care. Though I did make sure that my face wasn't readable. I wasn't looking for pity. I was tired of the looks people gave me. It was better to be apathetic.

"Hey."

She spoke softly, and immediately I knew who it was. To say I was shocked that she was here at all, would be an understatement. I turned to her in disbelief.

"It's two in the morning…what are you doing here?"

Her brows furrowed and her puffy lips jutted out in a pout as she hugged her knees closer to her.

"If it's so late, what are _you _doing out here?" She retorted somewhat defiantly, her voice still remaining melodious in a way.

"I'm sorry…" My voice trailed off as I put my fingertips to my temples, I looked sideways at her waiting expression and continued half-heartedly, "I was just thinking…"

"I suppose I knew I that." She apologized as she scooted closer to me. I watched as she lay her head on my shoulder and she hummed closing her eyes.

"I used to think a lot here too, well not here specifically, but by the ocean. I liked it's serenity, how it could lull me to sleep even when the most troublesome things came to mind. Like my own personal lullaby when things just get too…unmanageable."

I nodded in agreement to her words. She was right.

"And I get the 2 A.M. thing too. When you miss someone so much that it actually hurts you, you don't want anyone to see it in fear that being open may cause you to hurt more. You sort of develop a shell around yourself and you begin hiding behind all these veneers and masks that you don't even know who the real you is anymore. You have to go away a bit when no one is watching so that you can hold on to what you remember, what's left of you. So that doesn't go away too. Things get lost too easily to forget completely."

I find myself rubbing her shoulder and I wasn't even sure when I had put my arm around her but what I did know is that I needed Holly then. The moon glistened off of her translucent skin and the light breeze sent ripples through her billowing hair.

I liked how she made me feel like I was human. How holding a near stranger in silence as we listened to the waves of low tide and spoke about what plagued both our minds could give me so much peace of mind. I'm still not even completely sure why it comforted me so much. Maybe it was a reminder that all people felt this way. Maybe I just liked to be with someone else who was lonely, because then I knew that we at least weren't alone.

"I would give anything for one more minute." I muttered softly. Saying it out loud made it real.

"You'll have that minute." She said staring up at me from beneath her feathery eyelashes, "someday you will and you won't have to give anything away for it either."

Embry's POV:

I couldn't move. I scarcely even remembered how to breath there were so many thoughts that were jumbled in my mind, toppling all over each other. I knew for sure that I desperately wanted to kiss her tonight, more than anything else in the whole world. I had never wanted anyone so badly but staring in the dimensions of her deep-set, thickly lashed eyes sent my mind into spirals. I didn't only want her though, I needed her. She was so carefree and buoyant, bright and charismatic. I didn't want to ruin anything. I felt as if she were just waiting for me to mess up again every time I was in her presence. And yet still something unreadable in her familiar eyes sent shivers up and down my spine.

It was how she looked at me as I pulled up to her house and stopped the car.

"I missed you." Is all she said as she stared at me, waiting.

I gulped and reached a hand out to her, which she took hold of it with both if hers.

"I did too Holly." I whispered.

She was waiting, I knew she was. She was waiting for me to say something else. To do something that proved what I was saying. I told myself later that I should have kissed her. That that's what she was waiting for me to do. But then I eventually convinced myself that that was just another one of my delusions. Now, laying on my bed again, contemplating what may or may not have happened I could only slap myself in the head…repeatedly. I know I did not imagine the whole thing, I knew that for sure. Well…did I?

Holly's POV:

I didn't think anything could go wrong, I was just comforting Jacob Black in his time of need. I wanted to help. I liked Jacob. He was a nice boy and he deserved someone to care for him, not just pity him and wish him well. Also I think another reason I was so drawn to Jake was that he was solid concrete. He wasn't going away, he had never left me. If I wanted to be honest with myself I would say that I was scared. Scared of hoping for or denying myself something that was really important to me. I don't think that I could lose Embry again, even after what he did to me. I thought it would be harmless talking to Jacob. I didn't have to date him or flirt with him to make Embry jealous if he was going to be. I could just help Jake get through things, be his friend. That someone he needed in his life. I didn't have to fill Bella's void….

I was naïve, to have even trusted Leslie's idea for a second. People were only going to get hurt, I was going to get hurt…but at the time, I was too immature to see any of this, with not enough foresight to see what may be the effect. Little did I know that I was in for the greatest kind of doomsday predicament…I had no idea what imprinting did to people…perhaps I should have done my research first.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been rather busy. Though I hope you like the twist I am creating here. I bet none of you saw this coming did you?


	8. In which secret hearts are serenading

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it…

A/N: Thank you so much for waiting my faithful reviewers! I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 8-In which secret hearts are serenading

Holly's POV:

I sat there waiting, I couldn't tell you what for. Maybe an explanation, or an answer to fall from the sky and tell me what to do. Just a message, or a hint, anything that could tell me what was going to happen. I just needed to know…and soon.

Jacob's POV:

My stomach did back flips as I watched her. I felt sick. Worried that I was beginning to fall for a girl so completely out of my league, but even worse, worried that I would fall for another girl whose heart already belonged to someone. I'm not so sure I could handle that again.

"What are you thinking about Jake?" She asked playfully but still softly, as if she were tentative to disturb my reverie. She had taken to lying her head on my shoulder as we were supposedly watching some old black and white film, when really I hadn't been doing much watching. Well of the movie that is.

"You completely missed Fred and Ginger's dance there didn't you?" She smiled lazily up at me. I could tell she was sleepy. I chuckled and nodded.

"How could you expect me to watch this?" I didn't finish my line of thought that would be…with you falling asleep on my shoulder…

Holly's POV:

We'd become pretty good friends actually. Surprisingly, under the circumstances we just found that we had a lot in common. We were both lost souls, whose hearts were still healing. He helped to heal mine. I told him that one day too, but I don't think he liked it. I still remember what he said and how he said it, even though it was weeks ago that I mentioned it to him.

"Jacob you're good at this."

"At what? Catching goldfish?" He laughed in disbelief. Of course he would think that's what I was talking about, after all we had just spent 20 whole minutes tossing goldfish into each other's mouth from across the room. Oh, what summer boredom could do to a girl like me.

"No silly, good at taking care of people." I started with a broad grin, "well mainly me."

"I don't get it."

"What's not to get? You're really healing my heart here Jake baby." I said while laughing, only to avert my eyes to his and see that his eyes were downcast, staring dejectedly at his hands as if he'd just been slapped. Like a little kid when they find out that there's no such thing as Santa Claus.

I crawled over to where he was sitting and sat in front of him, desperately trying to get him to look at me.

"I don't want to hear you say that Holly. I don't want to heal you. I want to make you forget."

"Forget?"

"Yes Holly, there's no reason to hold onto it forever, just let go ok?" He said more passionately this time. His eyes weren't so forlorn anymore, they were intense, holding mine in their grip as if they were seeking an answer, possibly more.

Jacob's POV:

In a very strange and twisted way I believe that Holly and I became friends by more than just chance. Just the other day, I noticed one of her friends, staring at me from behind a grocery counter as if she'd never seen a guy before, she rung up my things slowly and deliberately bought herself more time to stare at me by accidentally ringing up everything twice.

"Meggie…right?" I asked slowly, not wanting to frighten this curious girl.

"Yeah…" She answered breathlessly, still staring, practically open mouthed.

I couldn't help thinking on my way out of the store that I should have put a shirt on.

Holly's POV:

My cell phone started ringing for the eighteenth time in the past hour and I decided to ignore it yet again. I really didn't feel like listening to Meggie gush about how perfectly toned and amazingly adorable Jake is. He is just my friend and it gets kind of weird after a little while. I mean it's not that I'm jealous that she got to see him shirtless in the Minimart a couple days ago, just that it gets annoying. I so do not like Jacob Black whatsoever.

I had been dreaming about kissing Embry Call's luscious lips ever since I'd been reacquainted with him. It was always the same.

His breathing was shallow but light as we sat there in silence for a little while and his gorgeous lips inched closer to mine. I couldn't help but stare at them in all their glory. Was he honestly just about to kiss me out of no where? I mean sure we've been sort of I guess seeing each other but we were mostly friends, but not friends in the way that me and Jacob were friends though right? God I just didn't know anymore, all I knew that Embry's lips were now millimeters from my own and his left hand was twisting in my hair on the back of my head.

But I would always wake up before he kissed me.

I began to want him so badly it ached, but I could never tell him that.

I felt myself dozing off as I lay there on the floor of Jacob's living room. He was warm and I was tired. I felt my head begin to slip off his shoulder and then into his lap, I didn't move though, I was far to sleepy to move anyway. The last conscious thought I had before my body and mind went numb with sleep together was the recognition of Jake's fingers twirling in my hair.

Jacob POV:

She looked so delicate when she slept. I wanted to hold her, but I was afraid to. She was my friend and I was more than thankful that she was helping me get through my loneliness. But I was beginning to wonder if she were causing a bit of it as well. Maybe she was just another reminder of what I couldn't have. What if that's all she ever was to me.

Holly's POV:

This time…the dream lasted long enough…but there wasn't a happy ending.

His heated lips plunged right into mine and I gasped and clung to him with my own, I could feel the fireworks going off, while he caressed my back and moved my lips with his causing them to start pulsating and tingling delightedly, but I'm not sure he could feel it. Because the second he pulled away from me, his eyes held this really desperate and confused emotion in them, one I had never seen before.

I woke up abruptly only to see that Jacob had fallen asleep too. His hand was still lying on my arm and I bit my lip and curled my legs to my chest in respose. I stared at Jacob Black, wanting to know what he thought of me. I wanted to wake him up so that he could take care of me again because everything felt right when he was smiling and just being there to look at me. To see me, because I know I wasn't invisible to him. It's like he knew what I was feeling even before I knew it myself. But I couldn't help but bite my lip and fight back a wave of angry tears threatening to fall. Why must my life be so difficult I thought in anguish. Why is it that I want to be wanted by both of the men in my life but only want one to kiss me?

Embry's POV:

I was going to kiss her.

I wanted to more than anything. I decided as I held her petite frame as it trembled in the rain. We were standing on the beach and I was more afraid than I had ever been because I could see her breaking. She had run to me...she needed me.

There was only one thing that came to mind while I was holding this beautiful girl in my arms at that very moment and only one thing that could make me frown the way I was. You see, when she had entered my life I had fallen immediately in love with what seemed to be an angel, but she had exited it so smoothly I was afraid. Afraid I would lose her again, afraid she would never love me back, and afraid she would find someone else more worthy than I was.

There was only one thing I couldn't understand.

How can I love her so much without imprinting on her…and if I am…am I all wrong for her?


End file.
